Past Tense
by TonyZivaFan
Summary: TIVA Tony isn't well, Ziva is worried and Gibbs is in a bad mood! Try adding the search for a serial killer into the mix... CHAPTER 6 RATED M
1. Chapter 1

**PAST TENSE**

**Chapter 1:**

Gibbs was furious. Tony was late, again. "Where the hell is DiNozzo" he asked whoever was in earshot. Ziva and McGee were both at their desks, trying to look busy, neither one of them wanting to have to cover for Tony's whereabouts.

It was then that Tony walked into the bullpen, dark glasses still on and a coffee in his hand. 'Sorry I'm late Boss", he said as he headed to his desk and flipped on the computer. He sat down without any further explanation, taking off his sunglasses to reveal very tired, puffy eyes. Dark circles marked the skin under his eyes and he looked a little paler than usual. He coughed briefly before taking another sip of his hot drink.

"You sick DiNozzo? Cos if you are I don't want you in here", Gibbs was staring directly at him.

"Na, not really, just a little tired. Can't seem to get enough sleep lately".

"Maybe if you actually slept instead of doing whatever else it is you do when you go to bed you may not be so tired", Ziva was trying to torment him, but it wasn't working.

"Yeah well Ziva that's really none of your business now is it? Or are you jealous? Y'know, all you have to do is ask", Tony decided it may be fun to play this game after all.

"In your dreams", Ziva replied with sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"Oh but I do dream about you Zee-vah… c'mon, admit it. You dream about me too, don'tcha?" This is fun, he thought.

"Yeah, only when I'm delirious."

"Ouch!" McGee shook his head at Tony.

Ziva looked across at Tony and raised her eyebrows, Tony smiled back at her as they reached a truce before deciding they should do some work. Little did Tony realize, thought Ziva, that she actually had dreamt of him. Several times. But she would never admit it – and especially not to one special agent Anthony DiNozzo…

----------

Another body had been found, one with identical cuts and abrasions as the previous two. This was the third young woman found murdered near the Marine Corp Base at Quantico in as many weeks. It was plainly obvious they were dealing with a serial killer, one who's motive was as yet unknown. All women had been strangled, were under 30 with long dark hair, and that was all they had to go on.

Gibbs was hoping Ducky could help provide him with more information, but so far, no luck. The doctor was equally frustrated that he couldn't come up with more, and had decided to go over the body a second time, not that he wasn't extremely thorough the first time. He just had to find out what had happened to the poor girl, and help her get some closure. And the more he could find out, the more he could tell Gibbs and the closer they may be to finding who did this. He to at least try. For her sake.

----------

As the day wore on, Tony's condition worsened. He felt absolutely terrible. Fortunately Ziva had stopped teasing him so he could just wallow in his own self pity as he coughed his way through the afternoon. Gibbs was so focused on the latest case that he had stopped showing concern over Tony's obvious discomfort. And Tony was too stubborn to admit he felt like he had the plague – again…

"OK, its going to be a late one, I want everyone working on this case. And I mean everyone DiNozzo – you should have taken the chance to go home when you had it". Gibbs was adamant. There was a killer on the loose and it was up to them to find out who it was they were dealing with.

Tony had just finished another coughing fit as Gibbs stood and stared at him. "You quite finished? Here". He threw a box of Tylenol cough and cold tablets on Tony's desk. He had just dug them out of his own drawer, checking the use by date. "These are still OK – use them".

Tony looked at the box through bleary eyes, '_what, Gibbs doesn't think I already tried something like this?'_ he thought sarcastically to himself. He quietly got up and dragged his aching body towards the bathroom. Once inside, he leant against the wall and sighed. It didn't feel like a regular cold, he thought. He felt weak, not unlike when he was coming down with the Y-Pestis plague he had fought almost a year ago. In fact, it was pretty much a year ago to the day. He thought about going to see Ducky, so after he cooled himself by splashing cold water on his face, he decided to head down to the lab and see if he could ease his mind.

Upon entering the lab, he could see that Ducky was so entrenched in an autopsy that he figured it wasn't a good time, so he turned around and headed back to his office, un-noticed.

----------

After pizza had been ordered, and everyone but Tony had eaten because he had absolutely no appetite, the agents were finally given a reprieve as Ducky called Gibbs barely able to contain the news he had to share. He had found a small piece of fingernail embedded in the neck of the latest victim and he already had Abby running tests on it for a possible ID.

Gibbs was satisfied the rest could wait until morning, so he ordered Tony, Ziva and McGee to go home and get a few hours sleep before meeting back at the office in a few hours. Abby had estimated a 4 hour minimum wait for the results; Gibbs had wanted it in 2. She would do her best.

Tony was barely able to get out of his chair. He was beyond coughing, he was just plain exhausted and breathing was a chore. Ziva offered to drive him home and pick him up again in the morning. He was too tired to complain. As they walked to her car, he swayed a little and had to rest against a nearby van, closing his eyes. Ziva was worried about him, really worried. She decided she would spend the night on his sofa and keep an eye on him. She helped him into her car and as they headed towards his apartment he immediately fell asleep. Upon arrival she grabbed her gym bag out of the trunk, knowing there was a change of clothes in it and then woke Tony to take him upstairs. She hadn't been to his place before but knew where it was.

He lived in a fairly new apartment, complete with wall to ceiling windows in the main living area with exposed wooden beams running across the high ceiling. It was very stylish yet lived in and comfortable - not at all what she expected. His furniture was understated; two large, soft leather sofas were arranged around a built-in fireplace with a large LCD TV screen mounted on the wall opposite. Countless DVD's lined the nearby shelves. The floors were polished wood, and the kitchen was open plan overlooking the living area.

She helped him inside and the next task was to get him up the stairs to his bedroom, which was in an open loft and also overlooking the rest of the living area. He somehow gained some energy and managed to get upstairs with her help before flopping face first on his unmade bed. Ziva removed his shoes, and also tried to roll him over to remove his jeans. She carefully pulled them off his body without taking his boxers with them. As much as she had fantasized about removing Tony's clothes, this was not the scenario she had envisaged. He needed her help as a friend right now and that was what she was going to give him, with an added touch of TLC of course. He moved long enough to help her take his shirt off, then he collapsed flat on his back and fell fast asleep. Ziva thought about curling up next to him, but decided one of the sofas downstairs would be fine, plus if he needed her she could still hear him.

She headed downstairs, taking a blanket with her. It wasn't along before she too was fast asleep.

----------

A ringing phone woke Ziva from a deep sleep. She instinctively reached for it and answered with a sleepy 'hello'.

"Officer David?" It was Gibbs.

"Mmhmmm, is it morning already?" She mumbled while rolling onto her back, careful not to fall off the sofa.

"Yes, and you are answering DiNozzo's phone because…"

"Oh, I slept here last night" she honestly replied. "Tony wasn't well so I stayed." She yawned. "Something wrong with that?"

"You really don't want to know. Let me talk to DiNozzo."

"I don't know if he's awake yet. I'll go upstairs and see". Ziva took the phone with her, keeping an angry Gibbs on the line as she did so.

"Tony. Tony! Wake up. Gibbs wants to talk to you" she lightly shook him.

He opened his eyes and tried to talk but it felt like a pack of open razor blades were sliding up and down his throat. "Argh, can't. Sore". He winced as he coughed, then rolled over, ignoring Ziva as he burrowed his head face first into the pillow.

"Ah, he's not at all well, Gibbs. I think he better stay home".

"You do, do you? You are a doctor now too, are you Officer David? How about you wake him up and I see you both in here ASAP? Understand?" Gibbs was in a bad mood, and it was getting worse by the second. First he had been up all night, now he had 2 of his best agents sort-of sleeping together, and one of them determined to test his patience if he didn't get his sorry ass out of bed and into the office within the hour. He knew DiNozzo and David were not 'sleeping together' as such, but it bothered him that he had to drag DiNozzo in on a day when he really should be in bed getting better. It conflicted him to do so but he had no choice, they had found a lead and needed everyone on it. If all went well, they would find the killer before days end and then all of them could finally go home and get some sleep.

----------

Ziva hated to disturb Tony, but she had no choice. She helped him up and into the bathroom, which was an ensuite to the bedroom. Turning on the shower, she waited while he struggled to kick off his boxers, too out of it to care that she was standing right next to him. He stepped into the shower and groaned as the hot water hit his sensitive skin. Closing his eyes, he let the water course over his aching body, hoping it would relieve some of the lethargy he couldn't shake. Ziva quietly left him alone, going downstairs to her bag to find some clean clothes – she hoped; it was her gym bag after all. Lucky for her, she found a pair of cargo pants and a long sleeved t-shirt style top that would be perfect for the day ahead.

As Tony stepped out of the shower, she walked into the bathroom and theirs eyes met. She held her clothes as she looked directly at him, unabashedly taking in his masculine form. He stepped forward, reaching for a towel all the while keeping his gaze locked on her. Droplets of water fell from his wet hair down his face, making him blink and lick his lips. He also needed to shave as dark stubble was evident on his handsome face. Water trickled down his torso, clinging to his wet chest hair. She dare not look any lower as she swallowed and broke the moment, looking away to allow him some privacy. Tony wrapped the towel around his waist, and moved past her into the bedroom.

Ziva closed the bathroom door and took a deep breath, leaning against the door. She was mad at herself for looking at him like that. He wasn't well and she was here to help him, not potentially seduce him. Another time perhaps…

She quickly showered as Tony dressed in the other room. He was sitting on the edge of the bed rubbing his throat as she emerged from the bathroom, all ready and dressed.

"Don't know how long I'll last today…" Tony was barely audible, what little voice he had left was raspy. "And don't really care," he added as an afterthought before coughing, his body shaking.

"OK, that's it. You are not going in. I don't care what Gibbs says. You need to see a doctor. Perhaps I can take you on my way in – you may need antibodies"…

Tony inwardly smiled and tried to correct her, "antibiotics", but she couldn't understand him over the coughing.

Her concern warmed him, and he wished he felt better so he could tell her how much he appreciated everything she had been doing for him. He especially didn't mind her looking him over as he stepped out of the shower. Under different circumstances he would have taken that as his cue to make a move. Damn this flu thing or whatever it is, _'I'm losing my touch,'_ he thought. He made a mental note to do something about it when he was feeling better. In the meantime, he had Gibbs to deal with, and in his present state he was not looking forward to that at all.

_**TBC…**_


	2. Chapter 2

**PAST TENSE**

**Chapter 2:**

Upon Tony and Ziva's arrival at the office, Gibbs was already pacing. "Nice of you both to show up", he mumbled sarcastically. Tony refused to go to the doctor, he didn't wish the wrath of Gibbs on anyone. Plus Ziva had him so dosed up on Tylenols and some home-made potion of unknown origin that he was pretty much out of it anyway.

Abby had managed to trace six addresses linked to the suspect they had discovered via the DNA sampled from the fingernail. They'd also found out that all three women had been drugged somehow, which would explain the similarity of their wounds – they were unable to try to fight off their attacker. Fortunately, none of them had been raped which didn't fit the profile. It seemed they were killed and their bodies dumped for no apparent reason. The suspect they had linked this to was Daniel Sparks, an ex-marine cadet, who failed to complete his training at Quantico. A small man, it had been discovered that he'd been abused as a child, and as a result developed an unhealthy attitude towards women. He didn't communicate well with anyone and had lied about being engaged to his girlfriend. She, apparently, didn't even exist.

Gibbs wanted Tony and Ziva to check out three of the addresses, while he and McGee were to check out the others. So no sooner had they arrived at the office did Gibbs intend on sending them right back out again.

Tony started coughing again, which in turn made his throat feel even worse, if that was at all possible. As he sat at his desk preparing to get up and leave with Ziva, he noticed his nose had started to bleed. Ducky walked into the bullpen right at that moment and immediately noticed, promptly going to his aid.

"Here, you just sit back and take a deep breath – there, that's it", he was taking control and Tony relaxed just a little. "I think I should do a chest x-ray and run a blood test to make sure you haven't developed pneumonia, your lungs are quite possibly still weakened from the Y-Pestis. You should have come to me sooner, Anthony". Ducky was seriously concerned for poor Tony.

Gibbs witnessed this and was quick to suggest it could wait. "Sorry Duck, DiNozzo – I need you to check out those addresses first, then as soon as you get back I'll make sure you get those tests". Gibbs hated himself as soon as he said this, but knew that every minute they wasted could potentially be the death of another victim. They were running out of time as the three murders had all taken place on this day, a tuesday, exactly three weeks apart between the hours of 6 and 8 pm. If Daniel Sparks truly was their killer, then they had to act fast.

Ducky merely looked at him as he left the bullpen, taking Tony's bloodied tissue with him to the lab – perhaps they could at least start by running a test from it. _'Save the poor boy any further discomfort'_ he thought to himself as he entered the elevator.

------------

Riding in the car with Ziva, Tony was lightheaded and shivery. "Ziva, I need to get some water", he pointed to a mini-mart on the opposite side of the road.

"I'll go in Tony, you wait here".

"No, really, I need to move," he responded as he awkwardly stretched, followed by another cough.

"Then we both go. I'll park…right… here…!" She swung the car into a spot right out the front of the store. Tony figured he really must be sick, because her crazy driving wasn't affecting him anymore.

As they walked into the store, Ziva protectively placing her arm around Tony, a lone figure stocking up on minor food supplies watched them carefully from his place behind one of the aisles. He recognized the man from somewhere, the woman not so much but her striking beauty took his breath away. He watched them, noting their moves and trying to hear what they were saying. It was obvious the man was ill, the woman perhaps was his lover? Colleague? The man moved slowly towards them, keeping his eyes on the handsome couple arguing over which bottle of water to purchase.

"Tony it really doesn't matter, just pick one, yes?" Ziva was starting to lose her patience. Plus there was a creepy little man watching her, she sensed it as soon as they entered the store. She wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, whereas Tony seemed to be taking his time in choosing which bottle to buy. In actual fact he was so lightheaded all the bottles looked the same to him.

"Red Bull? I thought you wanted water", was Ziva's surprised response to what he had chosen.

"Ah, actually I thought it was water… another time perhaps?" Tony raised an eyebrow and Ziva grabbed the Red Bull from him and switched it with a large bottle of water. She could have sworn he was flirting with her, despite being so sick. Somehow it didn't surprise her, this was Tony DiNozzo after all.

As they paid and exited the store, the man watching them walked up to the counter to purchase his goods. His eyes followed them as they got into a nearby car. He memorized the license plate as they drove off. He smiled at the cashier as he paid for his supplies, but more for himself than the cashier. All of a sudden he wasn't so depressed about going home to an empty place – because it wasn't going to be that way for long.

------------

The first address they visited ended up being a vacant lot, as were all the lots around it. The second address held potential. They pulled up out the front of an old, dilapidated apartment building, about 10 stories high with all of the windows either missing or boarded up. If anyone still lived there, they were most likely squatters or itinerants. The front lawn was a mess of splintered boards and broken glass, what used to be the pathway was worn with weeds poking through the cracks. A front door no longer occupied the entry into the lobby.

Tony and Ziva slowly entered the building, adjusting their eyes to the darkness within. Their only source of light came through the missing windows and cracks between those that were boarded up. An eerie glow was cast on the walls and floor before them, and silent dust particles floated in the air. Tony found his flashlight as did Ziva and they nodded at each other as Ziva led the way into the first apartment, rats scattering as they did so. The room was empty, peeling paint on the walls and torn up cardboard boxes was all it held.

"Rats. I hate rats", Tony coughed and tried to clear his throat. "Ziva you want to check under those cardboard shreds?"

"Me? Why me?" Ziva glared at him.

"Because I hate rats OK. What if there is still one under there?"

"Oh, poor Tony, scared of a little rodent… you are feeling much better, yes?" she noticed he was more coherent, and had been coughing less. He was however, still very pale and the fact that he hadn't shaved that morning made his face seem even paler as it contrasted with the dark stubble on his chin.

"Actually, I seem to have a sudden burst of energy and my throat isn't as sore." He coughed slightly, rubbing his chest. "What was in that potion you made me drink this morning?"

Ziva smiled at him, a mischievous smile, because he really didn't want to know.

------------

The lonely man walked up the street with his groceries. He had been thinking about the dark haired beauty he'd seen in the store all the way home. As he headed towards his apartment building, he immediately noticed the car he'd seen her and the man with the cough get into out the front of the convenience store. He smiled as he recognized the license plate. _'Oh, this is going to be easier than I thought, she came right to me!'_ He hurriedly walked to the vehicle, peering in through the closed windows. Nothing to give away who they were except for – wait – a black cap with the letters NCIS lay on the floor in the back partially hidden by the seat in front of it.

'_So, they are military Feds. This WILL be fun'_ he got excited thinking of how the exotic woman would probably try to fight him off. He tiptoed into the deserted building, quietly moving in the direction of his dwelling. _'Not long now,_ he thought_. I best prepare for company'_ so he sat, syringe in hand, silently waiting their arrival.

------------

Ducky checked the results of the test he did on the small amount of blood he managed to use from Tony's nose bleed. "Oh dear" was all he muttered under his breath, as he hastily reached for his cell phone to call Gibbs.

An abrupt "Yes" was all Gibbs said as he answered his phone whilst driving.

"Jethro, we have a problem. It appears young Anthony has developed a mild strain of the Y-Pestis he was infected with last year," Ducky kept talking. "In fact, it was this day exactly one year ago that he contracted it, now it seems to have reactivated itself. I have Abby running another test on the small blood sample I retrieved from his bloodied nose earlier this morning, and as far as we can tell he is not contagious, but we do need to find out if it has an expiry time like before. Jethro I don't need to tell you how important it is that we find him and get him to a hospital".

"Damn!" Gibbs slapped the steering wheel as he abruptly turned the car back in the direction from which they had come. McGee clutched the dashboard and simply asked 'Boss?" as he took in his mentor's grim expression.

_**TBC…**_


	3. Chapter 3

**PAST TENSE**

**Chapter 3:**

"You know when we get out of here we should…" Tony was feverishly chatting away as Ziva interrupted him.

"Shh. I hear something".

"Wha…?"

"Shh!" Ziva put a finger to her lips and motioned for Tony to be quiet and follow her. He couldn't hear a damn thing, his ears were obviously blocked - _just another thing to add to the list_, he thought. He hated being sick. It slowed him down in more ways than one. And he hated not being able to think quickly, it was like all his senses were acting in slow motion.

As they stepped out into the dark hallway, Tony began to feel incredibly dizzy, and everything around him began to spin. "Ah, Ziva – I, ah…," he swayed and lost his balance, landing against the wall with a loud thud before crashing down to the ground in a crumpled heap.

"Tony, keep quiet for gods sake or else…" she then turned around to see Tony on the ground trying to prop himself up on his hands and knees. "Tony!" she moved to his side immediately, her eyes frantically scanning him for any visible injuries.

"Ziva, can't breathe… chest..tight", he barely muttered between clenched teeth. He slumped against the wall for support, coughing as blood ran from the side of his mouth. He wiped at it with his hand, looking up at Ziva with fear in his eyes. He swallowed, trying to keep from coughing any further as the memory of last years' fight to survive against the deadly Y-Pestis came back to him with a force so strong he visibly shuddered. "No, not again," he whispered.

"What Tony, what do you mean 'not again'?" Ziva had no idea about what had happened to him prior to her joining the team.

She was scared, truly scared. Tony was always there, never missing a beat even if it meant he was annoying her. Now he was sick, really sick. She missed the cocky, arrogant Anthony DiNozzo she had grown to like and eventually care about, and yes, fantasize about. She now believed he had something worse than the flu or a bad chest cold, and it made her lose track of why they were in the abandoned building. Her focus had shifted and all she wanted was to help Tony, ease his pain and make it all go away. She felt helpless, and it was not a feeling she was used to.

The man at the end of the hall crept out of hiding long enough to investigate the sound of the loud crash. He spied the exotic woman and the man on the ground, she appeared to be trying to talk to him, he appeared to be clutching his chest. _'A perfect opportunity'_ thought the man. He snuck up the hallway, clutching his syringe. It was almost too easy.

As the man came up behind Ziva, Tony's eyes were wide with fright. She turned around in time to have the needle jabbed into her neck, the sinister little man smiling with a manic excitement as he did so. Ziva collapsed into the arms of the predator, who slowly began to drag her down the hall. Tony tried to call out but he couldn't. He could barely even breathe. He couldn't move, or do a damn thing to help. His last thought before passing out was of Ziva and how he had let her down.

-----------

Gibbs and McGee had passed by the first address given to Tony and Ziva, noting it was a vacant lot, so without stopping they headed for the next address. It was a small house, in a tree lined street complete with children playing in the yard next door and a small dog barking and jumping at them as they chased a ball. It was the perfect picture of suburban bliss. Gibbs exited the car and headed straight for the front door. A young man with a baby in his arms answered.

"Yes?" he looked at Gibbs and McGee.

"We're federal agents, and need your help". They flashed their NCIS badges. "You seen this man?" Gibbs held up a picture of Tony.

"Nope. Why, he do something wrong?" the young man asked, trying to comfort the baby as it started to cry.

"How long have you lived here?" McGee continued the line of questioning, partially standing behind Gibbs.

"Not long, about 4 months. My wife and I wanted a house as soon as we knew we were going to start a family, and this one came on the market for a good price, so we took it. What's this all about?" he was getting frustrated, the baby was crying solidly now.

"I'm sorry, we have the wrong address. Sorry to have troubled you". Gibbs instinctively knew this was not the house belonging to a serial killer, and this man was definitely not who they were looking for. His gut told him so without question.

They hurried back to the car and Gibbs only hoped that Tony and Ziva were still at the other address or better still, on their way back to the office. Driving up the street they noticed the company car parked out the front of a condemned high-rise, and Gibbs quickly pulled up, screeching to a halt right next to it. He called Ducky, putting in a call for back-up and an ambulance. _They had to be in there, they just had to be,_ he thought.

Quietly stepping into the abandoned building they slowly moved up the hallway, using only their eyes as a guide in the near darkness. "Over there – I see something", McGee pointed in the direction of one of the apartment doorways. As they got closer, they could see it was Tony, slumped against the wall with his head hanging low.

"Tony, Tony!" Gibbs shook him, but he didn't stir. "Where's Ziva? Come on, you can hear me – don't give up now. Where is she?"

Tony stayed still. In the eerie glow of the hallway he looked almost ghost-like in appearance and it sent a chill up McGee's spine.

McGee abruptly raced outside, tripping on wreckage in the hallway as he heard the ambulance pull up outside, "In here!" he yelled while motioning in the direction of Tony.

The medics were quick to get to Tony, and get him outside and into the ambulance where he was promptly put on IV fluids. He was still alive, his breathing was light but he was hanging on. The ambulance doors closed as they sped off down the street, sirens blaring.

McGee took a deep breath before heading back inside to find Gibbs. Ziva was still missing so it was far from over.

-----------

Ziva opened her eyes to see the small man from the grocery story leaning over her. She tried to move but was unable to. She could feel the sting on her neck where the needle had gone in, pumping her full of some sort of sedative that rendered her body useless. But she could still see and feel, she just couldn't move. Her thoughts were a jumble, _'Tony? Where was Tony!_' Her eyes were frantic, _'Where was he? Was he alright? Had this monster drugged him too? Would he survive it if he had?'_ She couldn't think straight. The drugs were messing with her mind and her ability to think and reason.

The man began to touch her, and it made her skin crawl with disgust. She could feel everything. He began to caress her face and she wanted to be sick but held back as the need to gain control won over. As he moved in closer she closed her eyes.

A commotion could be heard from the outer room as Gibbs and McGee simultaneously burst onto the scene, pulling their guns on her assailant.

"NCIS! Get away from her – NOW!" Gibbs barked. The man shriveled into himself and cowered under his own hands making it easy for Gibbs to move forward and cuff him. Back-up had arrived and McGee directed them to the predator, who was promptly escorted out of the building. Gibbs turned to check on Ziva.

"Tony, where is Tony…" she mumbled. "He's really sick, Gibbs. He collapsed. I don't know if…" she was cut off by McGee, who told her they had already found Tony and he was most likely already at the hospital. With that she relaxed, allowing Gibbs to pick up her limp body and carry her outside to their vehicle.

A tear rolled down her cheek. She needed to see him. Something told her he needed to see her, too. Her thoughts were occupied by one Anthony DiNozzo as she lay motionless on the back seat of the car.

_**TBC…**_


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks so much to everyone who has sent a review for this story! This is my second ever attempt at writing a fic, so it really is encouraging to know you are all enjoying reading it as much as I'm enjoying writing it – thanks again, you guys are great _

_WARNING: I'm changing the rating on this chapter to 'M' for a scene where Tony has a rather explicit sexual fantasy… if this bothers you please let me know and I will post a 'T' rated version for you to read._

**PAST TENSE**

**Chapter 4:**

Tony tried to move but lacked the strength. He had to help Ziva, his last memory was of her being dragged down the hall by a demented killer. He struggled to open his eyes but failed as the weight of his eyelids prevented him from doing so. All he could manage was to lay in darkness, feeling utterly useless, surrounded by fear and the knowledge that he could have cost Ziva her life.

"He's waking!" Ziva sat by Tony's bed in the ICU at Bethesda Hospital. "His eyes fluttered…"

Gibbs put his hand on Ziva's shoulder, she had been sitting by Tony's side ever since the drug had worked its way out of her system.

"Ziva…" Gibbs looked at her with uncertainty.

"No, really, I saw his eyelids move," Ziva was adamant. "I do not lie or see things, Gibbs. If I tell you I saw his eyelids move, then I saw his eyelids move!"

It had been close to two days since Tony had been admitted to hospital in a critical condition. The Y-Pestis had somehow reactivated itself within his system, exactly one year to the day that it originally infected him. This time, however, it was not as virulent, but coupled with the fact that he already had a chest cold to begin with complicated matters. He was expected to make a full recovery, but he would need to take things very easy and attend weekly hospital visits for several weeks until it was absolutely certain the disease was completely gone, once and for all.

Ziva was exhausted, but she was not about to leave Tony's side, at least not until he had woken up and she knew he was going to be okay. Even then she had her doubts about whether or not she'd leave him alone in the hospital… something had happened between them on this case, and it had created a bond between them that was stronger than anything she'd felt towards a co-worker before. She was hesitant to admit exactly what it was; she was taught to not get personally involved with her colleagues, and until now she had kept all relationships between co-workers strictly professional. Anthony DiNozzo had somehow managed to get under her skin, and she couldn't shake the feeling. She wanted to, but it was out of her control. So she sat, by his side, anxiously awaiting his return to consciousness.

--------------

Gibbs left Ziva with Tony as he headed back to NCIS headquarters. She was put on leave until the following week. How she chose to spend those few days was up to her. McGee was finalizing the paperwork on Daniel Sparks, who was to be held in custody until his hearing. It was a fairly cut and dry case. Although Sparks didn't deny nor confirm that he had murdered the three previous victims, evidence that he'd held them at the condemned apartment complex was uncovered. Add to that the fact they had all been drugged with the same substance he used on Ziva, and it all fell neatly into place. He still argued they had it all wrong, that 'the exotic beauty' he was with was his girlfriend, and she was there with him willingly. It had been relatively easy to locate Ziva after Tony had been found; all they had to do was follow the slide marks on the floor as it appeared something had been dragged up the hall. The marks continued until they reached the door of an apartment, along with random fabric threads Gibbs had spotted due to his keen eye. Daniel Sparks was so lost in his own fantasy world by this stage that he didn't even suspect they were close to finding him, let alone acknowledge the earlier blare of ambulance sirens and the conspicuous noise made getting Tony to safety.

Gibbs also found that none of the women were in any danger of being raped, as the man was impotent. He believed this led him to eventually commit their murders as he couldn't perform. Once realizing the severity of what he'd done, he'd drag their lifeless bodies out to the old car he'd purchased with what was left of his savings, dumping them off near the Quantico base in contempt for being kicked out of the marine training program. He was sick and twisted, and he didn't need to weigh 200lbs nor stand 6ft tall to do what he'd done. The power of the mind was very strong in itself. Gibbs was happy to be closing this case. This was one messed up individual.

Now he had to deal with DiNozzo, and whether of not he and Ziva had more going on between them than the usual working partnership. He had a gut feeling there was more to it, and he always trusted his gut. What he could or should do about it was another thing entirely.

-------------

Tony was dreaming, and it was a very pleasant dream indeed. He was making love to Ziva, both were completely naked, their bodies pressed eagerly against each other in the need to feel skin on skin. He kissed his way down her neck to stop just below her collarbone, where he gently sucked at the flesh there, leaving his mark. His hands cupped her small but perfectly rounded breasts, and as he caressed them he felt her nipples harden. He moved lower to suckle on one breast, tugging at the nipple with his lips until she moaned low in her throat. His other hand moved to between her legs, where he found her wet and ready for him as he expertly stroked her. He continued to elicit sensual moans from her, all the while her hands tangling in his hair massaging his scalp as she uninhibitedly enjoyed the pleasure he was giving her. He smiled wickedly, so turned on that he could barely hold back. What he could do to her! In an attempt to move things along, he trailed hot open mouthed kisses down her body until he reached her navel, his tongue flicking in and out of it in a mirror of what he was about to do to her further down…

"Tony, Tony… wake up!' he was torn between his dream and what was trying to drag him away from it. The sense of female hands on his chest forced him to open his eyes for the first time in nearly two days. What he saw was Ziva looking down at him. He was confused as he wasn't sure what was reality and what was a dream, but when he saw her smile and raise an eyebrow as she glanced to his groin area, he knew at once he had been caught out in the middle of one big, incredible fantasy. One featuring Ziva, no less.

"Glad to see you are awake," she smirked while looking from his groin to his startled face.

"Ziva. Wh-where are we?" he tried to look around but his head was heavy. He was also incredibly aroused if that was at all possible as he curiously took in his surroundings.

"Not at home in your bed if that's what you are wondering," she kept her voice even, reflecting just a hint of amusement.

"Yeah, I guess not." He coughed a little, then cleared his throat. "Will you stop looking at me like that?" he asked, slightly embarrassed.

"Like what?" Ziva innocently replied.

"Like… you know, like THAT!" he tried to hide what he was feeling, looking away from her. Plus he was still confused, the past few days were all a bit of a blur to him. At least he knew his bodily functions were all in tact. _'Great timing, though'_ he figured sheepishly.

Ziva sat down on the chair next to Tony's bed, sighing and taking on a more serious expression. "You gave me quite a scare," she looked directly at him, not flinching.

"I don't remember much, except you checking me out as I stepped from the shower," Tony was having random memories.

"Selective memory, I see", she grinned. "Glad to see you haven't changed even though you nearly did die on me".

"Die? I nearly died?" As he tried to think he felt the tightness in his chest, saw rather than felt his arm hooked up to IV fluids, and instantly it all came back to him. The cough, the exhaustion, Ziva helping him, the abandoned building, the man with the syringe…

"God! Ziva, you were stabbed!" His brow furrowed as he coughed. "And I couldn't do anything, I couldn't move, I thought you were dead, I thought I was dying, and…" he continued to cough, his chest still tight.

"Shh, Tony its alright. Gibbs and McGee found both of us, nothing happened to me. They – we – led them to the killer. The case is closed".

Tony relaxed back into the pillow, the room was starting to spin. He closed his eyes and tried to take a deep breath, but it put too much pressure on his chest. He opened his eyes and looked over at Ziva, who was trying to wipe a tear from her eye without being noticed. "Nothing happened to you?" he asked quietly. "Really?"

"No, really Tony. I am fine. And so will you be if you just try to relax".

They were both silent for a few awkward moments.

"How long do I have to stay in here?" Tony changed the subject.

"Until you are strong enough to not pass out when you stand", she looked him in the eye. She meant it and Tony could see he wasn't going to win this argument even if he tried. Plus he really was tired. He could feel his eyes getting heavy and Ziva noticed this as she stood to reach for her coat hanging on the back of the chair.

"You need to rest. I'm going home to take a shower and will be back in the morning. Sweet dreams, yes?" she winked at him saucily.

Tony smiled, "Ooh yeah, you better believe it" he winked back at her. "Now don't tell me you don't dream about me, either". He had a feeling they'd had this conversation before, but it was fun to revisit it nonetheless.

"Perhaps." She leant in and kissed him on the forehead.

She walked out of his room, leaving him with a huge smile on his face. Another thing he remembered was his plan to show her how much she meant to him when he was feeling better.

He planned on getting better very quickly.

_**TBC…**_


	5. Chapter 5

_Hi everyone! This is the chapter where Tony gets to play out his fantasy – all good things happen to those who wait, especially our beloved Tony and Ziva!_

_So once again, an 'M' rating, for obvious reasons… also, some minor spoilers relating to the episode 'Untouchable'._

**PAST TENSE**

**Chapter 5:**

Tony was bored, really, really bored. His chest was now virtually clear of any infection and he rarely coughed. Ziva had organized a DVD player for the TV in his room, and everyone from Jimmy Palmer to Gibbs had brought in movies for him to watch. He'd seen everything from Madagascar to a very intriguing Israeli film with English sub-titles courtesy of Ziva. It had been more than 3 weeks since he was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition, but he'd responded to the treatment and antibiotics remarkably well. If he got the OK, he was going to be released the following day.

Ah, Ziva. His mind wandered back to her. Being trapped in the hospital with nothing to do all day had stuck his already overactive imagination into overdrive. He knew she was interested in him, that much was obvious – but the next step? Gibbs rule be damned, he was going to follow his gut on this one and that meant pursuing her. Whether or not they ended up in a relationship was anybody's guess. Wait – did he just say the 'R' word? Tony shuddered. Did he really want more with Ziva he wondered? He knew she occupied his thoughts, and he felt much better when she was around, but did that mean he was willing to let himself get seriously involved with her? Now that thought scared him. He wasn't used to this feeling and now he was confused. '_Damn it',_ he thought.

"So I see you're awake", the very woman occupying his thoughts entered the room, carrying some magazines and 2 more movies, 'Goldfinger' and 'Dr No', his two favourite James Bond films from the '60's. Ziva tossed the DVD's onto his bed.

"Ziva, you found them! Oh, I love these, have you seen them? Gotta love Pussy Galore", Tony was lost in reading the back of the boxes.

"Pussy – what? Is that another of your sordid fantasies Tony?" Ziva wasn't sure how to react.

"Yeah – ah, no, Ziva, Pussy Galore is the ultimate James Bond chick. She's awesome".

"With a name like that she'd have to be" Ziva smirked.

"How's my apartment? Did you get a chance to go over there this week?" Tony had asked if she'd mind keeping an eye on his place while he was in the hospital and she'd happily obliged.

"Yes, I even fed your pussy….. 'cat', she emphasized the word 'cat' while smiling at him.

Tony raised an eyebrow, "I don't have a cat, Ziva… oh, I get it, cute", he figured out she was teasing him. Ever since the case where a victim's cat had scared him she'd had fun with it. He really only left himself wide open for that one especially after their earlier conversation about Pussy Galore.

Ziva was laughing, it was good to be able to have fun with Tony again after everything they'd been through. She'd found herself visiting him each day, keeping a watchful eye on him from when he'd been fatefully brought in unconscious, to now, nearly 4 weeks later where he was virtually back to the Anthony DiNozzo she knew and lo… 'liked,' she corrected her mental reverie. She had also found herself staying at his apartment, sleeping curled up in his bed where she could smell his scent on the sheets and in the pillows. It calmed her and helped her sleep, also giving her a false sense that Tony really was next to her. Several times she had reached out in her sleep to touch him, only to find the cool, empty space that ultimately woke her each time. How many times had she run the scene over in her mind of seeing him step out of the shower? How many times had she wished she'd stole a glance lower…

"Hey, earth to Ziva, come in Ziva", Tony was waving his hand in front of her face.

"Oh!" she snapped out of it.

"You zoned out on me there, whatcha thinkin' about? Me?" he waggled his eyebrows at her while giving her one of those 1000watt DiNozzo smiles.

Ziva was quick with a comeback. "No Tony, just wondering when I should do my dirty laundry".

"Ewww. Actually, I could do it for you, if I get out of here tomorrow, just your underwear though. You do wear underwear, don't you Ziva?"

"Good to see you are feeling better Tony", Ziva smirked.

"Oh, you better believe it Zee-vah," he smirked back at her.

"OK, it's a deal. You can do my laundry but you have to make me dinner, too" Ziva lightly patted him on the head as she stood to leave.

Tony couldn't believe his luck. He had been trying to plan a way to invite her to dinner when he finally got home, but he didn't want to seem too pushy. Instead, she had invited herself. He couldn't wait, he was like a kid in a candy store. He only hoped he was going home tomorrow, or it would be a very long couple of days.

------------

Four days had passed since Ziva had suggested Tony make her dinner. He had to spend an extra two days in the hospital for routine follow up tests before they would let him leave. The next two days Ziva had to work late and to be honest, he was a little tired when he first got home despite being in a hospital bed for a month.

He used the time to stock up his fridge, start back at the gym and sort out his medical bills. Fortunately NCIS had an excellent health plan or he'd be well and truly broke by now. He chuckled as he did his own laundry, thinking of the pact he'd made with Ziva to do hers. One thing he did find was that not only had she occupied his thoughts but he swore he could even smell her throughout his apartment, especially when he went to bed. _'I've really got it bad'_ he figured as he'd bury his head into his pillows, positive he could smell her even in his bed.

------------

It was finally the end of the week and Ziva was coming over for dinner that night. Tony had waited patiently since he'd left the hospital and he didn't know how he was going to keep in control once she arrived. _'What has gotten into me!'_ he tried to shake away the nerves created just by thinking of her.

A knock on the door broke his train of thought. It was Ziva and she was early.

"Hello", she greeted Tony as she brushed past him, walking confidently into the apartment like she knew the place extremely well. She had small bag with her that she proceeded to put on his dining table.

"You don't have to do it straight away," she grinned at him.

"Do what straight away?" Tony's mind was on a one-way street by this point.

"My laundry. My underwear is in that bag", she took her jacket off as she pushed the bag towards him on the table.

'_Ziva's dirty underwear is on my dining table. Thank you God!'_ he thought silently, looking skyward.

Ziva walked into the kitchen to see what he was making for dinner. Mmm, he had gone to a lot of trouble. She only hoped she could keep herself contained long enough to enjoy the food he was preparing them both. Weeks of sleeping in his bed had worked her into quite a state. Tony followed her into the kitchen where they awkwardly tried to avoid bumping into each other.

Tony opened the fridge to reach for the bottle of Veuve-Clicquot Champagne he'd bought especially for the evening ahead with Ziva. He had it all planned out. First he'd make his famous sauce with fresh shrimp and scallops to serve with fine angel hair pasta. Then after he'd impressed her with his culinary skills, he'd suggest they move to the living room where he'd have the fireplace lit (chicks love that, he knew from experience). Then he'd make his move. It was simple but fail-proof.

But instead of being confident, he was actually nervous. The famous Anthony DiNozzo, '_a different date every weekend DiNozzo with the notches on his bedpost to match'_, was nervous. Ziva on the other hand, seemed perfectly in control.

She could sense his nervousness and was incredibly attracted to it. She still couldn't help but have a little fun with it though. So as she stirred the pasta on the stove, she dipped the spoon into the accompanying sauce and took a small, delicate lick of it from the end of the spoon, closing her eyes and groaning her satisfaction. She licked her lips slowly as she opened her eyes to make direct eye contact with Tony.

Tony, all of a sudden, was having trouble opening the champagne. Ziva seductively sauntered into Tony's personal space, taking him by surprise. "I think we should just do it", she purred.

"Wh-do-what? Tony wasn't sure what he heard.

"You know, do "it" she persisted.

"Do "it?"

"Yes, we should just do - how you Americans say, "it" - as in have sex, yes?" Ziva kept her eyes locked on Tony.

At this point the champagne cork popped and hit the roof with a thud. It was mimicking Tony's heartbeat. The foam of the champagne was flowing from the bottle and he barely noticed as Ziva moved in and seductively took the head of the bottle into her mouth, sucking at the champagne spilling from the bottle. Tony swallowed. He was always prepared but not for this. He was suddenly very aware that she was running the show here. He was being seduced by Ziva – not the other way around.

This was a first for Tony DiNozzo. But did he care? Hell no! He came to his senses and promptly pulled Ziva away from the champagne bottle long enough to push her up against the counter as he crushed his lips to hers in a bruising kiss. She tasted sweet from the champagne and he couldn't get enough of her. Ziva responded by deepening the kiss, pushing her tongue into his mouth. The champagne was long forgotten as the bottle sat on the counter unattended while Tony and Ziva desperately discovered each other for the first time. Tony had lifted Ziva to sit on the kitchen counter as he began to kiss his way down her throat, pushing her shirt away in the process so he could knead her breasts through her lacy bra. She had her hands wrapped around his neck, pushing him into her chest as she wrapped her legs around him where he stood. He moved lower to undo her pants and without hesitation she helped him remove them from her slender legs. He threw them in a heap on the floor, neither one noticing where they landed as he moved down lower to bury his face between her legs. He inhaled her heady scent, he was already high on her arousal as he pushed her panties aside to feast on her. God how long he had wanted to do this to her!

Ziva was so close to already losing herself in him that she had to mentally shake herself back to the present. She couldn't believe they were doing what they were doing on his kitchen counter as the food on the stove opposite was about to burn. Neither did she care at this point, she had waited so long for this she was beyond any rational control. What he could do with his mouth was incredible! She gasped as he thrust his tongue into her, all the while caressing her with his fingers. She knew she wasn't going to last long at this rate, but she couldn't hold back – she was going to come as he sucked on her and that thought alone drove her closer to the edge. As he expertly moved his tongue in and out of her she felt her inner muscles tense and right at that moment he knew just where to touch her and she fell apart clutching him to her. Tony continued to lap at her as she shuddered and screamed out in ecstasy. He smiled as he knew it wouldn't be long before his neighbors would be complaining. So, Ziva really was a screamer after all.

Tony slowly moved back up to kiss Ziva, his face still wet. This didn't seem to bother her as she kissed him back passionately. Oh how that in itself turned him on even more. He knew she could taste herself on him and it didn't bother her at all.

"One of us is wearing too many clothes," Ziva managed to get out between heavy breaths, her voice low and sultry. She began to rip at his shirt, sending buttons flying as she tore it away from his body. He was damp from sweat and she feasted her eyes on his naked torso, the taught muscles of his upper abdomen flexing slightly. Her eyes followed the trail of dark hair that led from his belly button to his pants. She licked her lips. She wanted to see more of him. She began to undo his belt and tug at his waistband and Tony was quick to help her shed him of his pants. He kicked them off and almost immediately his boxers followed. He was completely naked and pushed up against her on the kitchen counter.

"Now someone else here is wearing too many clothes" he breathed into her ear as he nipped on her lobe. She threw her shirt off, all the while making sure his lips didn't leave her ear. Tony reached behind and undid her bra, releasing her breasts. Her bra also landed somewhere in the kitchen, along with what was left of her soaking wet panties.

"So beautiful", Tony whispered into her neck as he continued to kiss her, moving lower to kiss her now naked breasts.

Ziva clutched him to her. How could she tell him she couldn't wait any longer without sounding desperate? She wanted him inside her and NOW. "Tony, now, please…."

"Now, what Ziva?" he breathed against her right breast as he took her nipple into his mouth sucking on it, eliciting another primal groan from her. His eyes looked up at her but he never left what he was doing. He was going to kill her with pleasure, she was sure of that.

"Tony, you know… now, please," Ziva was pleading, her breathing ragged. She managed to reach down and grab his hard shaft, smiling inwardly as she felt its size, enclosing her hand around it as she massaged, paying special attention to the tip.

Tony's eyes went wide as he felt her warm hands engulf him. He had hoped to prolong what they were doing, slowly drive her over the edge again, but now that was not going to be the case. She began to move her hand quicker, moving it up and down making him even harder if that was possible.

"Ziva…"

"Yes, now please Tony", she moved him to between her legs, spreading them wide to make it even easier for him. She rubbed his tip against her wet folds, enjoying the sensation as well as the anticipation.

That's all it took. Tony couldn't wait any longer. He helped her guide him and she pushed her legs closer to him, drawing him into her as she did so. He wanted to make it last but he doubted that would happen this first time between them. So he thrust himself into her, moaning her name each time. Ziva only wrapped her legs tighter around him and met his thrusts and moans with her own. Neither one of them were quiet, anyone outside the front door would be getting an earful.

Ziva raked her nails over Tony's back as he continued to push into her. Their bodies were making slapping noises as flesh hit flesh with each thrust. Tony was close, he knew it. He kissed her and plunged his tongue into her hot mouth, tasting her as they continued to make hot, passionate love to each other. Ziva was starting to come, she couldn't wait any longer as the sensation he was creating within her sensitized body began to take over. "Ohhh…" She threw her head back and screamed his name, and at that moment Tony felt himself let go and he joined her in ecstasy, screaming her name several times over.

As their breathing returned to normal, they looked at each other, Tony smoothing a strand of damp hair from Ziva's face and tucking it behind her ear. He kissed her gently, and she returned the kiss, sucking on his full, lower lip a little longer. "I thought you were going to feed me" she moved in to kiss him again.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "I thought I just did".

Ziva playfully slapped him on the chest. "You are a pig, you know that?"

"How about we go upstairs to my bed, we'll be more comfortable up there." Tony kissed her neck. "And I'll bring up some food", he added as an afterthought.

Ziva raised her eyebrows and smiled. Tony picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom, where he deposited her on his bed. He stood back and looked at a naked, tousled Ziva David, laying in the middle of his bed and he felt his heart start to race.

"Like what you see?" she was taking advantage of her position. She knew the affect she was having on Tony who stood there, getting hard again at the sight of her.

"Don't you go anywhere. I'll be right back", he ran downstairs and Ziva could hear him rustling around in the kitchen.

Tony looked around the kitchen, which resembled a bomb site. Their clothes were on the floor, stuck to the tiles by the spilt champagne. Ziva's panties had somehow managed to land in the sauce on the stove top, which by now was a gluey mass stuck to the bottom of the pan. The pasta had been reduced to a lump of goo. Tony opened the fridge to retrieve their dessert – a tray of fresh fruit he'd prepared to have with liqueur by the fireplace. He grabbed the tray, and then put the champagne bottle under one arm, the glasses under the other before remembering the bowl of whipped cream. He opened the fridge with his foot, sighing, as he realized he had to put everything down before he could get the cream out. He was getting frustrated – he wanted to get back upstairs to Ziva and fast!

Before long Tony entered the bedroom and Ziva couldn't help but laugh at the site before her. There was Tony, tray of fruit in his arms, a bottle of champagne under one, 2 glasses under the other and a bowl of whipped cream clutched between his teeth.

He lowered the fruit onto the bed and she reached for the cream. He pulled the glasses out from under his arm and began to pour each of them a glass of the now semi-flat French champagne. "To us" he said, as he tipped his glass against hers.

They sipped at their wine, Tony settling on the bed next to Ziva. "You really are full of surprises, Special Agent DiNozzo," Ziva said as she reached for a strawberry. He raised his eyebrows. As she slowly chewed on the berry he leant across to kiss her, removing it from her mouth with his tongue, then continuing to eat it himself.

"That was a sneaky move!" she grinned at him, while reaching for another from the tray.

As she finished her next strawberry, Tony grabbed a piece of mango, dipping it in the cream before he moved to slowly feed it to her. "Mmm, that's good" she licked her lips as some of the cream fell down her chin. Tony wiped it away with his index finger before sucking on it and licking it clean. "Ohh, you are good" she chuckled.

Tony smiled, trying to feign innocence, "I am?"

Ziva reached for a piece of kiwi fruit this time, dipping it in the cream and pushing it into Tony's mouth. "Yes you are, and you know it" she quipped.

This was going to be a long night. Tony didn't care, it was exactly what he'd been waiting for, and he intended to make the most of it. Ziva was certainly his match in the bedroom and he couldn't wait to find out what else she had up her sleeve. The night was still young, after all…

_**TBC…**_


	6. Chapter 6

_Here's what I think will be the final chapter. Once again, its pretty steamy as it picks up from where Chapter 5 left off… Just a warning in case this kind of thing bothers you!_

_Enjoy… _

**PAST TENSE**

**Chapter 6:**

Ziva slowly stirred, stretching like a cat as she yawned. The warmth of a male body pressed up against her back reminded her she was not alone... for the third night in a row. She had arrived at Tony's place Friday night and was yet to leave. It was now early Monday morning and both of them were expected in at work no later than 8am. They had barely left his bedroom all weekend. The sheets were a tangled mess and remnants of fruit and cream had been squashed into everything from the duvet to the pillows. Ziva smiled as she thought back over the past few days with Tony. He certainly was an incredible lover, and contrary to what most would assume, he was very selfless when it came to pleasing her. In fact, he seemed to get as much pleasure from giving her attention as he did himself when she reciprocated. Yes, Anthony DiNozzo was quite the complex individual, she decided. There was definitely more to him than initially met the eye.

"G'morning…",Tony mumbled into Ziva's neck as he slowly began to wake. He tightened his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him as he spooned against her, entwining his legs with hers. He sighed contentedly, not wanting to have to get up and break the moment.

"Mmmm, you really want us to be late for work, don't you", Ziva purred as she pushed her bottom into Tony's early morning erection.

"Uhuh", was his lazy reply.

Without changing their position, he slowly reached down to push himself into her from behind. Ziva moaned her approval as he started to move against her. She squirmed against him, pushing in time with his movements. Her own hand came down to touch herself and Tony groaned as he watched from over her shoulder. "God Ziva, you are so hot. I can't get enough of you…" his early morning voice was throaty and his warm breath created the skin on her neck to tingle. He started to push a little harder into her, making her rub herself quicker to match.

Tony moved his hand down to cover hers, helping her touch herself as they rocked back and forth against each other. Their heavy breathing and soft, sensual moans filled the early morning air. Ziva was the first to tip over the edge, clasping Tony's hand hard as she pushed it against herself, crying out uninhibitedly as she rode out the wave of her orgasm. Tony was close behind her, but he needed a change of pace so quickly he flipped them over, entering her again as he pushed her legs up and over his shoulders. He thrust into her a few more times before he came hard inside of her, feeling every nerve in his body react from head to toe.

They lay there a few moments longer, coming down from their high while enjoying the closeness as their bodies remained joined. The moment was broken by the sound of the alarm, both of them sighing in frustration. "No…" Tony snuggled into Ziva and pretended not to notice but Ziva reached over and hit it with her fist, stopping the annoying buzz.

"Tony, we have to get up. I have to go home before work to get some clothes. The only ones I have here are still stuck to your kitchen floor".

Tony laughed evilly, "And your panties were thrown out with the pasta sauce".

"Argh, not funny. I don't want to get up", Ziva pretended to cry.

"Of course, your bag of dirty laundry is still sitting on my dining room table…" Tony playfully raised an eyebrow as he pushed himself up to lean on his forearms, still on top of her.

The phone beside the bed began to ring and Tony instinctively reached across to answer it. Ziva lay under him, lazily caressing his back as he talked. "Yeah boss. No boss. Sure. Yeah. OK boss," pretty much summed up the conversation.

"Let me guess…" Ziva looked up at him.

"A reminder call. He expects me to be well rested and ready for action", Tony sighed.

"Well I can definitely vouch that you are ready for action, Anthony," Ziva playfully swatted him on the bottom, grinning as she did so. "As for the well rested…"

Tony leant down to kiss her, running his hands through her tousled hair as he deepened the kiss. "C'mon, lets get this over with", Tony broke the kiss and tried to move from on top of her but Ziva grabbed him and pulled him back into another searing kiss that was sure to make them late. "Traffic really is a bitch at this time of day anyway…" Tony muttered against her lips as he lost himself within her again for the countless time that weekend…

---------

Ziva figured she could get away with being a little late for work, but Tony really had to be in on time, especially after being on sick leave for so long. So once they finished yet another round of lovemaking, Tony headed for the shower as Ziva retrieved what she could of her clothes in an effort to make herself reasonably respectable for the drive home. After Tony quickly shaved and dressed, he grabbed his keys and headed out the door with Ziva. Her car had been parked in the visitor spot all weekend, and as he walked her over to it his stomach began to knot. Usually he was ready to have his dates leave in the morning, but with Ziva it was different. He wasn't sure why he was feeling apprehensive, he guessed it had to do with the realization that he really did feel more for her than he was used to feeling with anyone else. This was definitely new territory for Tony as Ziva was not just another date. How they handled themselves at work would be interesting. They really had no other option than to keep things quiet, or face the wrath of Gibbs with potentially one or both of them being transferred out of NCIS.

"Tony, you really do have to get going. I'll be fine. I'll think of something". Ziva could sense Tony was deep in thought, so she tried to lighten his mood, "You just get that sexy butt of yours into the office before Gibbs comes looking for you", she winked at him, kissing him on the cheek as she got into her car. "I'll see you there in about an hour".

Tony smiled as he closed her door, and waited for her to drive off before heading down to the parking garage to retrieve his own vehicle. _Yes, it was going to be one strange day,_ he knew that already. For one, it had been over a month since he had even been into the office, now add to that this new relationship with Ziva.

There was that 'R' word again. He shook his head. One thing was certain: life was never dull for special agent Anthony DiNozzo.

_**END… maybe?**_

_Do you want to see a sequel? Or more chapters dealing with how they handle things at work now they are a couple? Or are they a couple… maybe Ziva has a change of heart… I'm teasing now aren't I _


End file.
